Guildford could build nearly 4,000 more new homes than it needs - here's why

Guildford's Local Plan could deliver 14,602 new homes by 2034 (Image: Grahame Larter)

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Thousands of homes that are not needed for the next 15 years could be built in Guildford.

Guildford Borough Council’s (GBC) Local Plan could deliver 14,602 homes but the borough needs just 10,678 new homes by 2034 (562 every year) according to official figures.

In a report published on March 27 following hearings in February, planning inspector Jonathan Bore justified the potential surplus of housing supply saying the housing requirement is a minimum figure, not a target.

The Local Plan - submitted to the Secretary of State for Local Government in December 2017 - originally made provision for at least 12,426 homes over the plan period (about 654 every year).

New homes in Guildford

But the release of the 2016-based household projections by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in September meant the council recalculated the housing need shortly afterwards, reducing it to just 562 homes per year.

Following a second set of hearings on February 12 and 13, Mr Bore in his report suggested the four extra sites will not be needed, but said it would not justify removing any of the other strategic sites.

The sites are land at Aaron’s Hill in Godalming (200 homes), Hornhatch Farm in Chilworth (80 homes), west of Alderton’s Farm in Send (120 homes) and east of Glaziers Lane in Flexford (105 homes).

Why plan to build more than are needed?

The strategic sites should be kept

Mr Bore said none of the strategic sites should be removed as they would bring “substantial housing contributions” and “other significant benefits to the borough through their critical mass and well-chosen locations”.

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Explaining the potential surplus housing supply, Mr Bore wrote in his report that the Local Plan “must be considered as a whole” where all the sites “work in concert to deliver a sound, integrated approach to the proper planning of the area”.

Giving some examples, he said the Gosden Hill scheme could provide a park and ride facility, part of the sustainable movement corridor and contribute towards a new railway station. The Blackwell Farm project could provide land for the expansion of a research park, provide part of the sustainable movement corridor and contribute towards a new railway station.

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Mr Bore said a surplus could help if there was a “delivery failure or slippage on one or more sites” or if there were any changes in circumstances.

He explained: “Large strategic sites have long lead-in times and development periods – their timespan may cover a number of plan reviews and housing requirement re-calculations.

“Circumstances may change, and new strategic sites cannot be brought forward quickly to meet revised housing requirements; they have to be planned well in advance. Therefore, by making the allocations now, the council have aimed to future proof the plan.”

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The 2017 Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) Addendum identifies the need for affordable housing to be 517 new homes every year until 2034. But when set against the policy of having 40% of new homes as affordable, the council in theory would need to deliver almost 1,300 new homes per year.

The inspector said it would “not be practicable” to build 1,300 homes every year or to require 79% of new homes to be affordable.

Contribution towards Woking’s unmet need

Mr Bore said the surplus could also contribute towards Woking’s unmet housing need. As a result, he noted it was unnecessary to make a specific allowance in Guildford’s housing requirement to help meet the unmet need.